This invention is concerned with a bulk container or bin (hereinafter called "a bin" for convenience) used in the storage and long distance transport of materials, which bin is normally moved from location to location by a transport device, normally a ship, and in particular a container ship, and for short distance transport, e.g. in a warehouse or the like by a fork lift truck. The invention is particularly concerned with such a bin of the kind comprising side walls and a base with a recess or opening in its lower portion below the base, which recess or opening is capable of receiving the "tines" or blades of a fork lift truck fork, there being ribs provided on the underside of the base at the recess and extending in the direction of the recess, the recess having an entrance or mouth at one of the side walls where the height of the ribs is greater than the height of the ribs lying under the major portion of the base. Such a bin is hereinafter called a "bin of the kind set forth".
In particular the invention is concerned with a bin of the kind set forth comprising a second wall at the said one side wall at at least close to the entrance to the recess, there being a gap between the two walls, and the ribs extend upwardly to the lower end of the second wall to form an entrance to the opening. One such bin is that described in my U.S. Pat. No. 5,180,064. Here the inside corners at the joins of the side walls and the base at the opening are of substantial radius (60 to 125 mm) so that the ribs can sweep therearound and there will be a substantial amount of material provided by the ribs to protect the corner of the bin against damage should it be struck by the forward edge of the tines of a fork lift truck. Such a bin has wide application where it is to contain round items such as fruit such as applies and oranges--or vegetables--such as cabbages and lettuce. However the large radius corners limit the usefulness of that bin in transporting right angle cornered items and in particular parallelipipedal items such as boxed product.
I have found that by providing separate wear resistant inserts which are introduced into the gaps between the walls, each with a base that forms a continuation of the ribs there will be adequate protection for the lower edge of the bin should it be struck by the forward edge of the tines of a fork lift truck.
The said second wall may form part of a vertical double wall section. There are preferably single wall sections alternately located between the double wall sections. At the lower ends of these single wall sections there is conveniently an outer wall, which is preferably at the level of the said second wall, the said ribs extending into the space at the lower end of the single wall construction. The inserts must specifically be provided at the double wall sections as it is not possible to provide a practical mould that will result in the ribs running into the gap between the first and second walls.
An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings.